Jimmy Carter: The Voice of Bilaam?

Sometimes blessings come from the most unlikely source.

Just three weeks before the reading of the Torah portion about Balak, the King of Moab (Numbers 22-24), former US President Jimmy Carter visited the area of the Etzion Bloc, ten minutes away from Bethlehem where the matriarch Rachel is buried.

It is the area where Abraham walked on his way from Hebron to Jerusalem, and where the Maccabees fought the Greeks. Among the communities in Gush Etzion is the city of Efrat, which is mentioned in the Book of Ruth. Our daily strolls are in the pathways of our forefathers.

The non-Israelite prophet Bilaam was asked by King Balak to curse the nation of Israel, as he feared "this people [who have] come out of Egypt... cover the face of the earth, and they dwell across from me..."

Refusing Balak's offers of honor, Bilaam, who wished to curse Israel, says that he can only say the words that God puts into his mouth, and adds, "Even if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God," a comment indicating Bilaam's mindset of avariciousness.

God allows Bilaam to make the trip. Along the way, his donkey talks and he meets an angel (Read the book!), but the bottom line is that, much to Balak's shock and horror, Bilaam blesses the people of Israel, for those are the words that God puts into his mouth.

Carter paid his visit to Gush Etzion two years after the publication of his book that was extraordinarily critical of Israel.

Carter paid his visit to Gush Etzion 61 years after Gush Etzion fell to the Jordanians, 42 years after the children returned to rebuild, 30 years after the signing of the Camp David accords between Menahem Begin and Anwar Sadat and two years after the publication of his book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, a book that was extraordinarily critical of Israel. Most Israelis no longer perceive Carter as a neutral observer of the Middle East.

But most significantly, Carter's visit came one day after receiving the "Palestine International Award for Excellence and Creativity" from the Palestinian Authority, in an award ceremony at which he declared, according to the Jerusalem Post, "I have been in love with the Palestinian people for many years...I have two great-grandsons that are rapidly learning about the people here and the anguish and suffering and deprivation of human rights that you have experienced ever since 1948."

Some of the residents of the Gush Etzion communities were appalled at the idea of having a visit from Carter. Others believed that even our opponents should meet us and be given the opportunity to change their minds. I thought that if it was a done deal, they should at least take him to Kfar Etzion, the kibbutz where the returning children found scraps of Torah scrolls that had been burnt by the Arab armies in 1948. They should show him the bunker into which Arabs threw grenades in 1948, that killed the wounded who were huddled there. Most of the others, men and women, had died fighting; a handful were taken into Jordanian captivity. Only the mothers and children had been evacuated months earlier, to Jerusalem. I hoped he would be told about the history of Gush Etzion, settled in the 1920's,and then abandoned due to Arab hostility, resettled in the 1930's, then dismantled after Arab riots, resettled in the 1940's, and finally, again, in 1967.

In the end Carter came, and in addition to local officials, met with victims of Palestinian terror, like Sherri Mandell, whose son Koby, 13, was murdered in a cave near Tekoa, and Ruth Gillis, whose husband Shmuel, a hematologist from Hadassah University Medical Center, was shot dead on the highway from Jerusalem to Gush Etzion (after treating his last patient -- a Palestinian). Mayor Goldstein spoke passionately about the history and roots of Gush Etzion in general, and about how the land on which Neveh Daniel sits (and other land in Gush Etzion) was purchased by Jews in the 1930's.

"This particular settlement area is not one that I envision ever being abandoned... I think [it] will be here forever."

At the end of his visit, Carter declared to TV cameras, "I think I've done more listening than talking this afternoon...This particular settlement area is not one that I envision ever being abandoned... I think [it] will be here forever." Mayor Goldstein responded, "He said he saw things here that he never saw before. He was never here before."

Aye, there's the rub. Carter (like many others) was never here before. Carter had said in advance that he would not speak to reporters following the meeting. Yet, as one cameraman reported, in keeping with the Bilaam analogy, "As soon as Carter left the Goldstein home, he made a bee line to the TV cameras and initiated his statement that gave a blessing to the Jewish community of Neveh Daniel in Gush Etzion, that it should forever be a part of the State of Israel."

When Balak hears Bilaam's blessings and asks, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and you have blessed them!" Bilaam replies, "Must I not speak that which the Lord put in my mouth?" Balak takes Bilaam to three different locations, each time hoping for a different outcome, but it is always the same. That which God has planned, cannot be undone. Yet, Bilaam's blessings are a "cut-out," an anomaly in his character. And, according to Fox News, two days after Carter's visit to Neveh Daniel, he said that he would urge the Obama administration to remove Hamas from the terrorist list.

Among Bilaam's blessings are some of the best known in Jewish liturgy and lore, such as the treasured, "How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel! Stretching out like brooks, like gardens by a river...like cedars by water..."

What a perfect description of the quiet dwellings in the rolling hills of Gush Etzion. We must remind ourselves that the blessings which we receive come neither from prophet nor president, but from the One above.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 30

(30)
,
July 12, 2009 3:03 PM

Did Bilam have a drunk hillbilly brother betray his neutrality like Carter?

I wonder why Menachem Begin trusted this carter to conduct peace treaty with Egypt. Begin had to know from carters brother billy what really motivated Jimmy,a dark deap seated anti-semitism? In any case we are already blessed from Hashem & from his Torah. We need not this mans blessing which doesn't amount to anything anyway.

(29)
unwashedbrain,
July 10, 2009 1:43 AM

Nope, the Jackass was smarter.

Nope, the Jackass was smarter than Bilaam.

(28)
Gila,
July 8, 2009 2:43 PM

The curse continued

Even after Billam was not able to curse the Jews, he still attempted to destroy us through other means. "...two days after Carter's visit to Neveh Daniel, he said that he would urge the Obama administration to remove Hamas from the terrorist list." Obviously, his visit was not convincing enough.

(27)
Kepha ben Ephraim,
July 7, 2009 9:42 PM

Jimmy Carter

Was not this man a peanut farmer? I rest my case. In the end it is our God, the God of Abraham and Isaav and Jacob that has already determined the fate of men like Jimmy Carter.

(26)
Daniel M. Meyer,
July 7, 2009 8:02 PM

Neve Daniel

As a resident of this blessed community I invite all fellow Jews worldwide to come and visit, to see where Avraham Avinu walked and enjoy the biblical and modern history as well as the panoramic views. To all those who see us obstcales to peace, come visit, and like Carter, you will leave with a new more informed opinion.

(25)
Robert Kerr,
July 6, 2009 8:41 PM

Peace not Aparteid

This is one of the most dumbest books. This article shows him as a Anti Semetic

(24)
Leon Stern,
July 6, 2009 6:46 PM

carter the voice of the Jackass

I think Carter's voice is more aptly described as the voice of the jackass. An anti-semtic one.

(23)
Anonymous,
July 6, 2009 12:47 PM

Heartwarming change

It was good to hear of Jimmy Carter's awakening to the truth (at least where Gush Etzion is concerned). I wish that all politicians and leaders would look before they leap into missions that change lives for generations. It would do well for them to look at ALL the facts, up close and personal, before making judgments.
Thanks for the article

(22)
David of San Jose,
July 6, 2009 4:09 AM

Robert is Spot On

It appears that every time we hear the name Jimmy Carter in the news, he's again making a fool of himself. He's previously been dismissed as someone 'increasingly irrelevant.' For a man associated for some years with the Southern Baptists, a person would think he might have some understanding of Jewish history, but his knowledge of the Old Testament is abysmal. As Robert of Nashville says, he's trying desperately to have some relevance somewhere, but his resume is found wanting.

(21)
Stewart,
July 6, 2009 4:09 AM

Carter is an embarrassment to America

Carter was an embarrassment as president. His disgusting delay in letting Iran hold our Americans for 144 days, and his one pitiful attempt to "free them" is an embarrassment to America he cannot not live down, but it is not unexplainable. He is gutless and too stupid to know it is an embarrasment to our country. His now travelling to muslim countries is further proof that his sympathies lie with the muslims. But that is also no surprise Given his incomptence and lack of loyalty to America, he has chosen those who fit is sense of morality. Carter, one of the greatest failures in his history of presidents. My message to you: rot in hell.

(20)
,
July 6, 2009 2:25 AM

CARTER SHOULD STAY HOME AT HIS PEANUT FARM AND LIVE OUT HIS YEARS,WITHOUT MAKING ANY COMMENTS ABOUT ISRAEL. A REAL IDIOT.

(19)
Chaya Goldstein,
July 6, 2009 2:23 AM

The Voice of Bilaam?

Bilaam was a great, but evil man, a prophet.
Jimmy Carter? He's more of a horse's ass.

(18)
Imanonov,
July 6, 2009 12:04 AM

Bilaam or his donkey?

Carter is not just like Bilaam but also like his donkey. The donkey had no seichel (intellect), Bilaam didn't use his. But both said what G'd wanted them to say.

(17)
,
July 5, 2009 10:44 PM

Divine Right?

Forget about divine right. The peoples vying in the area need to come to a common denominator. Let there be :No Israel, No Palistine, but a new state, a new name...something such as The State of the Children of Abraham. This is an umbrella for all recognizing the true or, at least common cultural/religious origin of all. To deny this common bond is to curse one's forebearers no matter how profound one's religiousity. Religion is just a coping mechanism and goes hand in hand with politics, usually for no good end.

(16)
Daniela,
July 5, 2009 9:15 PM

Don't be so quick to see his statement positively

I think there's a bit of wishful thinking here. He said he can't envision it ever being abandoned, he didn't say he no longer thought it should be. Considering he called it a "settlement area" when it's not any less a suburb of Jerusalem than Skokie is a suburb of Chicago, I wouldn't celebrate this or compare him to Bilaam.

(15)
Deborah Bach,
July 5, 2009 5:38 PM

remain focussed

What's important is not what Carter or Obama say, but what Netanyahu does. But I always admire people who have the guts to say that they made a mistake. Why assume that just because Carter only mentioned Gush Etzion that he didn't intend other areas as well? But again the only REALLY important thing is was Israel DOES.

(14)
Grace Fishenfeld,
July 5, 2009 5:16 PM

Love and Justice

Carter has a good heart and when he is at work on projects like building homes for the homeless he is at his best. The article shows us how uninformed he is about the situation in the middle east. After seeing and listening, to Mayer Goldstein, his eyes and his brain informed him of the truth. Yes, Palestine was given its name by the Romans and the history of Judea and the Jews who inhabited the region were denied their birthright. So, Carter's words were changed, yet no, he does not yet see where true justice falls. There are no Jew who want any people to suffer. The ethics in Jewish life extends itself to all who suffer. Love and Justice are one and the Arab neighbors around Israel must accept the right of all Israel to exist. Carter must find where truth and justice are in that area of the world and then he can love both the Palestinians and the Jews.

(13)
Mrs.siegel,
July 5, 2009 4:36 PM

good story, bad message

I appreciate T.K. Greenwald's comparison of our present day characters to the biblical characters. It makes us so aware that they are still here, just as they were at the beginning. We should fight the way we did then. We should understand what is ours and WHY - so that we know how to "fight" this kind of enemy. Obama did go to Tdserot to understand what we are up against. He said he would support that. Our secretary of State said she would defend Israel always. Let's see what happens, before you condemn him - he may surprise you and do the right thing by Israel. Greenwald was trying to point that out about Carter, but he has never been good for us - now I remember being on lines at the gas station and people blaming Israel for the shortage Carter reigned in. Each week we learn a Torah lesson that we must use in our modern life to realize how the characters still live today. I'm glad we still have the scholars.

(12)
Michael Maratsos,
July 5, 2009 3:43 PM

Carter seems fair to me

I lived in Jerusalem for 10 months as a visiting scholar, and have felt a pull of events in Israel and the surrounding areas ever since. I have a great deal of sympathy (non-religiously based, as I am not religious) for Israel's difficult position, including the very difficult sorts of people surrounding it that it has to deal with. I certainly have no reservation that America should strongly support Israel's continued existence by military means if necessary. Nevertheless I think that Carter's assessments are largely fair. History has made Israel an occupier, and this is rarely good for anyone; it is not good for Israel. As for the fact that Carter was not a very successful president, this is quite true. But this lack of success depended partly on bad luck as well as his own flaws, and lack of presidential success does not mean someone does not have other commanding abilities. Herbert Hoover was also not a very successful president, but he was a very successful aid administrator after World War I. Undoubtedly most Americans support Israel very strongly, but I believe them to be on the whole poorly informed here, as they are on most world issues. Since the comments on this site reflect an unswervingly pro-Israel position, I though it wouldn't hurt to have someone saying something else.

(11)
Mary Blakely,
July 5, 2009 2:24 PM

An American Mother of Five

The majority of Americans do not agree with "Carter" on his opinions .Please do not believe that all Americans do not recognize Israel's divine right to exist

(10)
Anonymous,
July 5, 2009 1:59 PM

President Carter Needed Glasses

Mr. Carter began the economic fall of the USA with his taxation policies and occult, inherited cultural antisemitism when he was president. As most politicians, he was poorly advised about the aboriginal Middle East. He had bible-belt culture.

(9)
Phil Fisher,
July 5, 2009 1:41 PM

Oboma is out to break the spirit of this country and make us government dependent.

Tell Shelley Berkly to open her eyes, and the ofther 78% of the Jewish voters. Oboma is no friend to our only ally in the middle east, Israel.
NEVER AGAIN !!

(8)
Miriam,
July 5, 2009 1:35 PM

Yeah, but what about the rest of Israel

At first I was pleased by Carter's comments about the Gush area, but then I thought: "So what?" So what if he says that the Gush should not be abandoned? Who is he to say what stays and what goes? And besides, who cares if he says one area should stay when he thinks the rest should go? The Gush residents can rejoice, but the rest of the country cannot, and to me that is no blessing.

(7)
Robert of Nashville,
July 5, 2009 1:23 PM

Wanting His Face In History

Carter was a poor American president by most standards. At home he seeks a legacy, abroad in the Holy Land of Israel and elswhere he meddles seeking the same, in both instances he is a poor American diplomat/ambassador. In search of a place in history he could not obtain while in power, he strives for it now with the same misdirected values he has always fostered.

(6)
Jeff,
July 5, 2009 1:11 PM

Carter

Carter is at his best when he is helping build homes for the homeless.....On any other subject matter, he deserves no attention whatsoever.

(5)
Rosen,
July 5, 2009 2:02 AM

Carter's unpopularity by the Jewish community

Given how unpopular Carter happens to be by the Jewish community, even the National Jewish Democratic Committee (NJDC) has renounced him...Now, even though Obama is favored more by most Jews, at least the 78% of American Jews who voted for him, how would we know whether he is running Carter's "2nd term"?...Frankly, it's saddening when I see people posting comments on Aish about how Obama favors Palestinians over Israelis and how he may be bringing upon American socialism. Bill Maher argues that he is not even a liberal. He's just a very mild president, certainly more mild than Bush (and probably Clinton). So, it's sad that certain things are said about the 44th president, even after such allegations have been disproven and exposed as misleading. Given that Obama may not really be a liberal, he certainly hasn't legalized gay marriage, which is seen as on abomination religiously/halachically - so any wonder why they sometimes refer abomination much like "Obama-nation"...As for Carter, I'm sure his latest visit to Israel and Gaza has made him eat his words that he wrote in his "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid" book.

(4)
benjy,
July 2, 2009 10:16 PM

not exactly

very interesting,thanks.
but carter still has a long way to go.

(3)
Anonymous,
July 2, 2009 8:22 PM

Life of Loathing

Mr. Carter has "loved the "palestine people", since 1948... palestine people are Arabs, "palestine" is the roman name for Judea, and the people who are of "palestine" are Jewish.
However, deliberately ignoring the 3000 year history of the Jewish People, is not necessary, when one wants to express anti-Semitic sentiments. I believe in free speech, and the disingenious Mr. Carter is a genuine fraud, whose loathing of Jews dates back to our globally evidenced struggles after the Shoah. He is not a "shame" to righteous people everywhere; his values shown by his support of "Hamas", makes him a true embarrassment to the American people - never mind the niceties of political life.

(2)
Anonymous,
July 2, 2009 6:43 PM

carter and hamas

He wants Hamas off the terrorist list, I think he is out of his mind. The bible says if we do not bless Israel he will not bless us. I thought Jimmy Carter was a christian. I guess he has his own rules

(1)
Anonymous,
July 2, 2009 4:44 PM

Carter: The worst president ever, and still the worst ex-president ever.

I've been striving to get more into spirituality. But it seems that every time I make some progress, I find myself slipping right back to where I started. I'm getting discouraged and feel like a failure. Can you help?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Spiritual slumps are a natural part of spiritual growth. There is a cycle that people go through when at times they feel closer to God and at times more distant. In the words of the Kabbalists, it is "two steps forward and one step back." So although you feel you are slipping, know that this is a natural process. The main thing is to look at your overall progress (over months or years) and be able to see how far you've come!

This is actually God's ingenious way of motivating us further. The sages compare this to teaching a baby how to walk. When the parent is holding on, the baby shrieks with delight and is under the illusion that he knows how to walk. Yet suddenly, when the parent lets go, the child panics, wobbles and may even fall.

At such times when we feel spiritually "down," that is often because God is letting go, giving us the great gift of independence. In some ways, these are the times when we can actually grow the most. For if we can move ourselves just a little bit forward, we truly acquire a level of sanctity that is ours forever.

Here is a practical tool to help pull you out of the doldrums. The Sefer HaChinuch speaks about a great principle in spiritual growth: "The external awakens the internal." This means that although we may not experience immediate feelings of closeness to God, eventually, by continuing to conduct ourselves in such a manner, this physical behavior will have an impact on our spiritual selves and will help us succeed. (A similar idea is discussed by psychologists who say: "Smile and you will feel happy.")

That is the power of Torah commandments. Even if we may not feel like giving charity or praying at this particular moment, by having a "mitzvah" obligation to do so, we are in a framework to become inspired. At that point we can infuse that act of charity or prayer with all the meaning and lift it can provide. But if we'd wait until being inspired, we might be waiting a very long time.

May the Almighty bless you with the clarity to see your progress, and may you do so with joy.

In 1940, a boatload 1,600 Jewish immigrants fleeing Hitler's ovens was denied entry into the port of Haifa; the British deported them to the island of Mauritius. At the time, the British had acceded to Arab demands and restricted Jewish immigration into Palestine. The urgent plight of European Jewry generated an "illegal" immigration movement, but the British were vigilant in denying entry. Some ships, such as the Struma, sunk and their hundreds of passengers killed.

If you seize too much, you are left with nothing. If you take less, you may retain it (Rosh Hashanah 4b).

Sometimes our appetites are insatiable; more accurately, we act as though they were insatiable. The Midrash states that a person may never be satisfied. "If he has one hundred, he wants two hundred. If he gets two hundred, he wants four hundred" (Koheles Rabbah 1:34). How often have we seen people whose insatiable desire for material wealth resulted in their losing everything, much like the gambler whose constant urge to win results in total loss.

People's bodies are finite, and their actual needs are limited. The endless pursuit for more wealth than they can use is nothing more than an elusive belief that they can live forever (Psalms 49:10).

The one part of us which is indeed infinite is our neshamah (soul), which, being of Divine origin, can crave and achieve infinity and eternity, and such craving is characteristic of spiritual growth.

How strange that we tend to give the body much more than it can possibly handle, and the neshamah so much less than it needs!